Amara and Rath's Tale
This story is rated for Readers Over 16 for sexual situations and violence
Months passed and our home was content, but the valley was not. With the safety of the village and the neighboring farms came more and more people. The population was booming. It seemed like every family had children now.
The large families that used to be necessary because so many children died were now a liability. Farms grew larger and further apart and again the wolf and cat demons were taxed to their limit. And since easy meals were no longer available to the hostile demons, they were beginning to set up ambushes. They would wait in the tall trees or among the rocks until one of the farmers was alone and then pounce. Homes that were on the edges of the "safe zone" were often targeted. And the demons were no longer attacking alone; they were teaming up against us. Several wolves and a couple of the cats had been killed along with an entire family of five. All the livestock had been slaughtered and eaten.
Something had to be done and once more the villagers looked to me.
Although I had been teasing when I mentioned binding another demons several months ago, this time I was deadly serious. We needed a demon with power. A lot of power.
The four of us sat on the lawn in front of the lake discussing this problem -- well, actually only three of us were -- Rath was strangely quiet, not offering any suggestions.
Zarra suggested Moth demons, until I found out that they were 20 feet high and fuzzy with huge wings and had acid silk, I stared at Zarra in horror! What was he thinking! The Cat Demon suddenly realized that I would have to bed the creature and blushed deep red at his faux pas.
Centipedes, bats, and all sorts of other creepy crawlies were mentioned and immediately discarded for the same reason. Finally, they ran out of ideas and we sat there mute. There had to be some demon that would fit our needs.
Rath sighed loudly and shifted uncomfortably.
"Okay! You have not been helping and it is obvious that you have something to say. Out with it!" I commanded, exasperated at our lack of progress.
He stared at me with his golden eyes, then lower his head and whispered, "We need a mage."
"A mage? Do you mean a wizard? But I can only bind demons."
"A demon mage would be a hundred times more powerful than a human wizard."
"So why didn't you just come out and say so?" I asked my reticent fire demon.
"We would have to go past the mountains to find one. And he would be very deadly. I don't know if we could even get close enough for you to use your power." Rath replied.
"That is out of the question!" Kala exclaimed, jumping to his feet. "I will not risk Amara like that. A mage!!! There is no way we could get close to a mage. We couldn't get past his warding spells!"
"What are warding spells?" I asked, feeling very ignorant at that moment. I had never even heard of demon mages.
"A warding spell prevents you from getting near a building or area." Rath explained.
"And a mage could put a warding spell over our entire valley?" I asked, suddenly warming up to the idea.
"No!!!" Zarra chimed in. "I agree with Kala. It is too dangerous to even consider."
"Could a mage protect the entire valley?" I repeated my question, looking directly at Rath.
"No. The valley is too large. But he could create small areas of safety. And the people could flee to these areas and the demons could not attack them. They would be safe until help came or the demons gave up."
"Okay. Do you know where a mage lives?"
"I know the approximate whereabouts of several mages. But they are all far past the mountains. The closest is four days from the other side of the mountains."
"And the strongest mage? Where does he live?" Both Kala and Zarra groaned in unison when I asked that question. They knew that I had made up my mind. But it was the only way to protect the valley.
"The most powerful mage that I know of lives seven days from the mountains, through very treacherous land. It will not be an easy trek."
"Have you been there?"
"I have passed the tower, but I have never been inside nor have I ever met the mage who lives there. But I have heard that he is very powerful."
"That's enough for me! Okay! A mage it is!" I said happily. How much trouble could he be? My power would conquer him just as easily as it had Zarra.